King
When Kyler Young returned to his bedroom, he was surprised to find his younger brother, who should have been at headquarters, standing right there at the door. Stephen had AirPods in, seemingly lost in his own world, probably listening to music.
"What are you doing here?" Kyler's voice was devoid of emotion, a stark contrast to the surprise he felt at Stephen's unexpected presence.
"Damn, bro, why don't you make noise while walking? You scared the shit out of me," Stephen exclaimed, removing his earphones with a startled expression.
Kyler's narrowed gaze lingered on his brother as he silently observed him, causing beads of sweat to form on Stephen's forehead under the weight of his scrutiny.
Feeling the pressure of his brother's piercing stare, Stephen finally spoke up. "Hehe, I came here to join you for business."
The corners of Kyler's lips twitched almost imperceptibly at Stephen's casual response. "Business? And you?" he inquired, his tone betraying a hint of skepticism.
Stephen's grin faltered slightly under Kyler's unwavering gaze. "Okay, okay, don't stare at me like that. I'm getting goosebumps. I just wanted to join for fun," he admitted, his usual bravado momentarily subdued by his brother's imposing presence.
"Oh, by the way, did you hear the alarm just now? Hehe, bro, I am telling you, those idiots from King thought they could invade easily and attack us. But guess what happened? Their president's right-hand man tripped at his first step, causing the alarm to ring," Stephen rambled on excitedly, detailing the events of the evening in Kyler's absence.
Kyler's expression remained impassive as Stephen continued to ramble, recounting the events of the previous evening with animated excitement. As Stephen reached the climax of his storytelling, Kyler's patience wore thin. "The outcome?" he interjected, his voice tinged with thinly veiled irritation.
"Hehe, guess," Stephen teased, reveling in the opportunity to prolong the suspense.
Kyler's sigh was barely audible as he prepared himself for his brother's inevitable anticlimactic response. "Did you capture them?" he asked, his tone betraying a sense of resignation.
Stephen's grin widened as he delivered the expected punchline. "No, they ran off. You should have seen their faces when they did. Hehe," he chuckled, seemingly unfazed by the outcome.
"Keep an eye on them. People from King shouldn't be taken lightly," Kyler instructed, his words carrying a weight of authority that brooked no argument.
"Uh, okay," Stephen replied, his demeanor shifting to one of reluctant compliance as he absorbed Kyler's directive, though he couldn't help but wonder what they could even do by invading. This was Devil territory, after all, unless they wanted to die.
The next day, at a certain branch in the north region of Spring Island under King's control, Arielle Reynolds arrived at her office early in the morning to discuss the events of the previous day. As she reviewed her plans, a boy with handsome looks, his bright blue eyes sparkling with mischief and dimples on his face, Tousled chestnut hair fell in loose waves around his face, lending him a carefree air which made him look cute despite his savage personality, Dressed in a vibrant blue shirt that brought out the warmth of his complexion knocked on her door and entered.
"Say, boss, why did you call us early in the morning?" he asked.
Arielle replied, "You're here alone. Where are the others?"
"Aren't I enough alone? Why do you still need others? Just me is enough to destroy a whole faction," he boasted.
"Marcus!" Arielle scolded.
"Hehe, boss, I am just stating facts," Marcus retorted.
As he continued to praise himself, two more people entered her office: Henry, Arielle Reynolds's right-hand man in charge of external matters, and Isabelle, the head of the foreign department,
Isabelle exuded sophistication in her tailored charcoal suit, its crisp lines accentuating her slender frame. A cream-colored blouse peeked from beneath the jacket, adding a touch of refinement to her ensemble. Her chestnut locks were swept up in an elegant bun, revealing the graceful curve of her neck. The subtle shimmer of pearl earrings adorned her ears, complementing the soft glow of her caramel-toned skin.
Henry, in contrast, sported a more relaxed attire, clad in a well-worn denim shirt paired with sturdy khaki trousers. His tousled sandy hair framed his rugged features, while a hint of stubble accentuated his jawline. A weathered leather belt cinched his waist, adding a rugged charm to his ensemble. Despite the casual attire, there was an undeniable strength in his stance, a testament to his resilience and fortitude.
"We're here, boss," they both said simultaneously.
The atmosphere in Arielle's office shifted as Henry and Isabelle entered, their expressions a mix of concern and apprehension. Arielle regarded them with a steady gaze, urging them to explain the previous day's events, "Mind explaining the events in detail from yesterday."
When they heard Arielle, they froze, remembering how they had actually run away.
Arielle Reynolds: "Speak.
"Boss is asking something. Why are you shut up now? Speak," Marcus said, gesturing to Henry and Isabelle.
Arielle looked at him indifferently and said, "Including you, Marcus."
"Boss, you can't blame me. It's all their fault," Marcus shamelessly shifted all the blame onto his colleagues.
Meanwhile, Henry and Isabelle exchanged knowing glances, silently communicating their frustration with Marcus's behavior.
"Who tripped over?" Henry asked.
"Who was responsible for checking their security and confidently claimed his information was accurate and there was no alarm system there?" Isabelle added.
"Who started running off? And without looking back!" Henry continued.
Finally, unable to bear their nonsense any longer, Arielle asked them to shut up and turned to Henry, as he was the most reliable among them."Boss, when we surrounded the area we discussed beforehand, Isabelle went to distract the guards, and I went to check the monitors. When I came back, Marcus started coming toward me and suddenly tripped over a wire that was connected to the alarm system. Then, suddenly, within 30 seconds, all the guards started converging on us, and we ran away. When we left their perimeter, we tried to find you, and when we couldn't, we came back," Henry's explainearer picture of the events that had transpired, revealing the shortcomings and oversights that had led to their failure to execute their mission successfully.
Arielle was speechless when she heard this. "Did you find any other information?" she asked.
"Not really," Henry replied, while Isabelle apologized.
"Although we couldn't get any information regarding their new plans, I heard their big boss came over yesterday," Marcus interjected. "And even if we trespassed yesterday, I don't think we could have gotten out alive. So, boss, treat this as a blessing in disguise."
Arielle looked apprehensive when she heard about the big boss and asked, "Did you see him?"
Marcus shook his head and said, "Boss, I say there must be some rare people who have actually seen him outside their organization. Anyway, rumors are he looks ugly, so he hides himself. Hmm, it must be true..."
Henry shook his head in disbelief at Marcus's reasoning. "Just because someone doesn't show themselves in public doesn't mean they're ugly," he remarked, his voice tinged with skepticism.
Isabelle, who had been listening quietly, finally spoke up. "It's dangerous to underestimate our enemies based on rumors alone," she cautioned. "We need to focus on gathering concrete information if we're going to stand a chance against them."
Arielle nodded in agreement, her expression serious. "We can't afford to let our guard down, especially now," she said firmly. "We need to be prepared for whatever they throw at us."